This is a digest of messages posted to: Threatened Asian Birds.
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Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis) – downlist from Vulnerable to
Near-Threatened?
Message #1
Posted by: operations Date: Jan 28, 2009.
Simba Chan has sent this update: Black-necked Crane - It is probably stable,
but I think it is a marginal case whether you would downlist it to NT or remain
it as VU. Its situation is much better than most other cranes in China as it
occurs in rather remote areas with low human population. George Archibald said
he greatly concerns the practice of planting winter wheat at the Yalung Zangpo
basin near Lhasa, where the biggest wintering population occur.
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Flores Hawk-eagle Spizaetus floris: uplist to Critically Endangered?
Message #4
Posted by: Stuart Butchart Date: Jan 28, 2009.
In 1993 we had only one record of this taxon during 498 person-hours in the
field during 28 Jul-19 Aug on Sumbawa and 514 during 23 AUg-19 Sep on Flores
and Komodo. The reocrd was in hill forest at Gunung Olet Sangenges on Sumbawa.
Guy Dutson could provide more details if needed. I think the populaiotn
estimates are realistic if indeed the species is dependent on intact forest.
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Marsh Grassbird (Locustella pryeri): downlist to Near Threatened?
Message #1
Posted by: operations Date: Jan 28, 2009.
Simba Chan has sent this comment: My personal opinion is that it is more common
than once supposed. It is now also found breeding at the Yangtze Estuary. But
there is no reliable population estimation of its number. The apparent
'increase' is due to more confident observers in China, so it is now more
reports of the species. Generally speaking, judging from the disappearance of
wetlands in China, the population is probably declining.
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Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis): information on population size and
wintering sites needed
Message #9
Posted by: operations Date: Jan 28, 2009.
Simba Chan has sent this update: The Hokkaido population is no doubt
increasing. Some birds now nest in rather degraded habitat that no one would
expect a crane would nest. They may be close to the natural carrying capacity
in Japan - and as they are non-migratory and totally dependent on human feeing
in winter, we should not think this population is 'safe'. The population
wintering in the Korean peninsula seems to be slowing increasing (but we are
not sure whether those birds are originally wintering in North Korea), however,
the Chinese population is declining and the wintering population at Yancheng
(so far still the biggest wintering ground in China) has been reduced to about
half of its highest count because of rampant development of coastal wetlands -
the 'nature reserve' does not have much power outside its core area.
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Rufous-backed Bunting (Emberiza jankowskii): information needed
Message #4
Posted by: operations Date: Jan 28, 2009.
There appears to be no new data on this species but Simba Chan has sent this
brief update: This is a species seems to be in real trouble and almost all
ornithologists who know the species think it is in rapid decline.
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Ryukyu Woodcock (Scolopax mira): downlist to Least Concern?
Message #0
Posted by: operations Date: Jan 28, 2009.
Simba Chan has sent this update after consultation with Japanese
ornithologists: It is still listed as Vulnerable on the Japanese National Red
List. I think it is still the consensus amongst Japanese ornithologists that it
is threatened. From your sources it is said the number is recovering, but this
is something I have not yet heard from my colleagues - I guess that might only
be a minority view. I would say we should keep it as it is for the time being.
Its distribution is still quite narrow and the mongoose control is not as
effective as it suggests (at least on Okinawa).
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Sangihe Hanging-parrot Loriculus catamenae: downlist to Near Threatened?
Message #0
Posted by: Robert Hutchinson Date: Jan 28, 2009.
Together with James Eaton, I spent one week on Sangihe in September 2004. We
found Loriculus catamenae to be quite common and widespread in a variety of
degraded habitats (forest edge, secondary forest, coconut plantations and
garden areas). Given this tolerance of degraded habitats the downlisting to
Near Threatened would appear justified. Rob Hutchinson / Birdtour Asia
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Silver Oriole (Oriolus mellianus): information on its current status requested.
Message #2
Posted by: Robert Hutchinson Date: Jan 28, 2009.
I spent a single day at Yangsiba (Xining) on 28th May 2008 together with Bram
Demeulemeester. We covered the same area as described by Bjorn above and saw 5
birds (1 adult male, 1 Imm male, 3 female type) even in terrible weather
conditions. Rob Hutchinson
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Message #3
Posted by: operations Date: Jan 28, 2009.
Simba Chan has sent this brief summary following emails to Chinese
ornithologists: As far as I know no ornithologists in China is confident enough
to say he/she understands the status of this species.
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Sulphur-breasted Warbler (Phylloscopus ricketti): information required.
Message #0
Posted by: operations Date: Jan 28, 2009.
Simba Chan has sent this brief comment: Sulphur-breasted warbler - no
information at all. If is recorded in place so far apart as Fujian to Sichuan,
we could assume the number is higher than what is estimated.
